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Generation of Recombinant Arenavirus for Vaccine Development in FDA-Approved Vero Cells
Published on: August 1, 2013
Arenavirus reverse genetics for vaccine development
Emilio Ortiz-Riaño1, Benson Yee Hin Cheng1, Juan Carlos de la Torre2
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
The Journal of General Virology
|February 1, 2013
Summary
Researchers developed new methods to rescue recombinant arenaviruses in human cells, overcoming limitations of existing techniques. This advance could accelerate the development of vaccines against dangerous arenavirus infections.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Vaccine Development
Background:
- Arenaviruses are significant human pathogens with limited treatment and no approved vaccines.
- Current arenavirus reverse genetics systems are primarily restricted to rodent cells, hindering vaccine development.
- Ribavirin is an antiviral with limited efficacy and is used off-label.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a method for rescuing recombinant arenaviruses in human cell lines.
- To develop novel vectors for efficient arenavirus rescue in cell lines suitable for vaccine production.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of these strategies for both prototypic and vaccine strains.
Main Methods:
- Rescue of recombinant arenaviruses from human 293T and Vero cells.
- Generation of novel bicistronic vectors for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Junín virus (JUNV) genome RNA and mRNA synthesis using human RNA polymerases I and II.
- Testing the rescue of recombinant LCMV and Candid#1 (JUNV vaccine strain).
Main Results:
- Successful rescue of recombinant arenaviruses in human 293T and Vero cells.
- Development of single-plasmid vectors reducing the number of components needed for virus rescue.
- Demonstrated feasibility for rescuing both LCMV and the Candid#1 vaccine strain, including tri-segmented viruses.
Conclusions:
- The developed reverse genetics system enables efficient arenavirus rescue in human cell lines, including those approved for vaccine manufacturing.
- This advancement simplifies the process and broadens the applicability of arenavirus reverse genetics.
- The findings pave the way for improved vaccine development against arenavirus infections.
